Transparent concrete structure.



APPLICATION I'ILBD 001226, 1909.

Patented Aug. 13, 1912.

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FRIEDRICH LUDWIG KEPPLER, OF WEISSENSEE, NEAR BERLIN, GERMANY.

TRANSPARENT CONCRETE STRUCTURE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug.'13, 1912.

Application filed October 26, 1909. Serial No. 524,756.

To all whom it may concern:

Beait known that I, FRIEDRICH ,LUDWIG KEPPLER, a. citizen of the UnitedStates of America, and resident of WVeissensee, near Berlin, Germany,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in TransparentConcrete Structures, of which the following is a full, clear, andexactspecification.

My invention relates to the application of transparent concretestructures, more particularly in respect to theubuilding of ceilings,floors, walls etc.

The objectof my invention is to create structures of great resistanceagainst stress and strain, aflording at the same time as large an areaas possible for the passage. of thelight.

My invention consists inthe application of metal frames having lateraledges or proj ections, and adapted to support glass bodies of suitableform in such a way, that a series of said frames form with their lateralprojecting. edges intermediate spaces between said frames which are tobe suitably filled out ,Withcement or other binding material. In orderto give the whole structure the necessary resistance against strains andstresses, iron rods are placed between and adjacent to each individualframe, the remaining spaces being hereafter filled out with bindingmaterial. The aforesaid iron rods are secured in their position by theprojecting edges or flanges of the metal frames, and are preferably soarranged as to support the latter directly.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of a metalframe according to my invention, supporting a glass body and showing theconnecting iron rods; Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;Fig. 3 shows a plan View of the corner of a concrete structure built upwith elements according to Figs. 1 and 2; Fig. 41 is a section on theline 44 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 shows a plan View of the corner of anotherconcrete structure, wherein however the glass bodies and bindingmaterial have been omitted; Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6-0 of Fig.5; Fig. 7 is a section on the line 77 of Fig. 5 showing the insertedglass bodies and the embedded binding material. Fig. 8 is a plan view offour cojoining corners of specially formed metal frames.

Figs. 1 and 2 show a building element consisting of the metal frame 1supporting a glass body 2 and having rectangular form,

each cornerprovided with a lateral flangelike extension 3. Theextensions 3 are preferably made of equal length and provided with holes4, which serve to receive the iron rods 5. The inside of the frame 1 isprovided with a continuous ledge G for supporting the glass body 2.

In order to create a concrete structure of suitable size it is necessaryto join a series of frames 1 in such a way that the extensions 3 formseparate spaces lengthwise and crosswise 7 and 8 respectively, thebreadth of which corresponds to the length of the extensions 8. The ironrods 5 are placed preferably crosswise in the above mentioned spaces 7and 8, the latter being suitably filled out with cement or other bindingmaterial. The binding material unites the whole structure and formstogether with the frame 1 and iron rods 5 a highly resistant structure,the transparency of this structure being provided for by the glassbodies 2 inserted in the metal frames 1. The glass bodies 2 as well asthe metal frames 1 can be made in any shape or size, in order to meetthe most diversified requirements of construction and art.

In the form of construction shown in Figs. 5 to 7 the metal frames 10supporting the glass bodies 9 have a square form and are provided at allfour corners with lateral projecting angular abutments 11, that is tosay, each abutment has a horizontal member and a vertical or uprightmember. The breadth of the spaces 12 and 13 is determined by thedimensions of the adjoining abutments 11. The glass bodies 9 the sides15 of which having undercut edges 16 are inserted in the frames 10 sothat the inner surfaces 14 of the abutments 11 are opposite to theundercut edges 16. The rectangular iron rods 17 are placed in thelongitudinal spaces 12 and the round iron rods 18 lie in the transversespaces 13. The iron rods 17, 18 are not connected in any particular wayto the abutments 11 of the frames 10, but are secured in their positionby the binding material filling out the intermediate spaces. The sides15 of the glass bodies 9 are undercut or tapered from the upper to thelower side, in order to obtain a maximum area for the passage of light.

Fig. 8 shows another form of the metal frames used for the concretestructures heretofore described and more particularly the corners 20 ofsaid frames, which are provided with angular abutments 19 having anexterior recess 21. The four cojoining corners 20 each having anexterior recess 21 form an opening of suitable shape, which facilitatesthe insertion of the binding material.

at the junction of the frames and at the crossing of the iron rods 22lying thereunder. By this means an otherwise Weak point of the structureis efficiently strengthened. In other respects, that is to say, inregard to the glass bodies, metal rods and binding material, theelements of the structure would be the same as in Figs. 5 to 7.

The transparent concrete structures hereinbefore described can be madein various ways without departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim is: V

1. In structures perv ious to light, the combination of frames providedwith spaced lateral projections to position adjacent frames and to formspaces between them, light-transmitting bodies extending over saidprojections, metal rods adjacent to said projections, and a binderfilling the spaces between the said frames, bodies and rods.

2. In structures pervious to light, the combination of frames providedat their corners with spaced lateral projections to position adjacentframes and to form spaces between them, light-transmitting bodies setwithin said frames, and a binder for holding the frames and bodiestogether.

3. In structures pervious to light, the combination of frames providedat their corners with angular abutments projecting beyond each of thesides which meet at such corners, light-transmitting bodies extendingover said abutments, and a binder for holding the frames and bodiestogether.

4:. In transparent concrete structures, the combination of metal rods,frames located in the spaces between said rods and provided with angularabutments at the corners, each of said abutments having a horizontalmember andv an upright member; transparent bodies extending over thehorizontal members of said angular abutments and a binder for holdingthe frames and bodies together.

5. In transparent structures, the combination of frames provided at thecorners with angular abutments each of which has a horizontal member andan upright member, transparent bodies extending over the horizontalmembers of said abutments, and a binder for holding the frames andbodies together. v

6. In structures pervious to light, the combination of frames providedat their cor- 11ers with angular abutments projecting beyond each of thesides which meet at such corners, said abutments having exteriorrecesses, light-transmitting bodies extending over said abutments, and abinder filling said recesses and the spaces between the frames andbodies.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification in the presenceof two subscribing Witnesses.

FRIEDRICH LUDWIG KEPPLER.

Witnesses:

WOLDEMAR HAUPT, HENRY HASPER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). G.

